A Bank Holiday of Beaches, Blue Skies & Roofball

Our Bank Holiday was wonderful.
We went to stay with my husband's sister and her family.
They have a lovely house in South Wales overlooking the sea.
This is the view I woke up to every morning.
We enjoyed long lazy lunches, rugby, coastal walks and my husband even won the Veteran's Roofball Championships.
Perfect.

Red Friday

Still on Friday.
Mopping up after Enrolment Day meant lots of chasing around and then sitting down twiddling thumbs.

I wore:
Shoes - Clarks
Skirt - Principles
Top - Isabella Oliver

Stripes And Denim

Apologies for the absence of posts but new job, family returning from holiday and off again to Wales for the Bank Holiday meant very little time.
This is my outfit for day four of my new job - enrolment day.
Nearly 900 new students attended the college on this day to enrol.
It was lovey to share in the happiness of achievement that these young people were feeling today.
Many had their parents with them and you could feel the pride and relief.
My son's GCSE results also came today and while I won't publish his grades I will say we were very happy too.
He has decided to remain at his school rather than study at a sixth form centre.
He will be studying A-levels in Maths, Physics, PE and Product Design.

I wore:
Skirt - Marks and Spencer
Top - Gap
Shoes - Clarks

Smart Casual

So, the dress code at my new place of work is smart/casual.
However, when the students are not in college then anything goes - jeans, shorts - as long as it is decent.
How cool is that?
While the senior management team tend to wear suits whether the students are in or not, I have no aspirations in that area.
My official title is Progress Coach.
It is a new role and there are 10 of us who have all started together.
Everyone seems very friendly and so far it seems a happy place to work.
Today, we met the rest of the staff as the teachers returned.
Tomorrow we will be helping enrol students once they have collected their GCSE results.
I can't wait to start meeting the students I will be working with.
I have been told that from now to Christmas will be the hardest term - getting to know all my students, chasing UCAS forms and writing UCAS references.
But, it can't be harder than last year with the PGCE, can it?

By the way - I have decided to have a seasonal closet clearout on ebay if anyone is interested - just click here.


I wore:
Jeans - Top Shop
Shoes - Marks and Spencer
Top - Joules

Back To Work

The Holiday is all over for another year.
Barcelona was as wonderful as ever.
And hot - hotter than the last five times I have been there in August.
I had to fly home alone - three days earlier than the rest of my family who are still sunning themselves as I started my new job today.
I had this little black polka dot number hanging in my closet to help heal the post-holiday blues.
I have wanted a black polka dot dress ever since I saw Lorena and named her winner of the first Capsule Wardrobe Contest in 2008 .
Talking of the Capsule Wardrobe Challenge we only have a handful of takers.
There's still time to join and sign up by clicking here.

Today I wore:
Dress - H & M
Shoes - Clarks
Bag - TK Maxx

Calling all entries for the 2011 Back To School Wardrobe Challenge

The bags are packed.
The house and dog-sitter is installed.
The taxi booked and I will be on my way to Spain very soon.
Before I go I'd like to direct you to Imogen's brilliant blog where I am guest poster.
Just click on the word Imogen.
If you haven't visited her blog you are in for a treat.
I will be back at the end of August which made me think....
how about a Back To School Capsule Wardrobe Contest for week beginning September 5th?
If you are interested sign up in the comments box.
If you want to know more take a look at the past few challenges- just click on the date.
2008
2009
2010
2011
If you want to take part I have an update on the rules.
Following on the success of 30 for 30 challenge I suggest a 5 for 5 during the Five Day Challenge.
For five working or non-working days - Monday to Friday beginning September 5th you can select five clothing items from your wardrobe and unlimited shoes/accessories.
If it rains or is unseasonably cold then coats and outer jackets may be excluded but your five items must be what you wear during the bulk of the day.
Can't wait to see how you creative fashionistas rise to the challenge.
And, as always, there will be a small prize drawn at random from everyone who officially signs up on the comments page here.
I will leave you with one of my favourite holiday shots taken the first time we went to Barcelona.
My four children holding hands and taking a leap of faith together with dad's safe hands waiting in the pool.
At the time my children were 5, 8, 10 and 13.
Today they are 11, 14, 16 and 19.
See you soon,
Jane X

So Can Leggings Really Reduce Cellulite?

So my experiment is over.
I have worn my Lytess leggings 6 days a week for 3 weeks and at least 8 hours a day.
Before I answer the question let me explain why I conducted the experiment.
Over the past year while I have been back at uni I have put on a little extra weight.
Poor eating habits in order to meet deadlines and lack of exercise has seen my weight creep up to the highest post-baby weight for a decade.
The big problem area was hips and thighs.
I read about the Lytess leggings in an article and researched them a little more here.
They promised to reduce inches from my troublesome spots.
I have to confess I don't normally fall for these gimmicks but I was desperate with holidays just a few weeks away.
I decided not to measure as I have also been attending 3 body conditioning exercise classes and run 12 miles a week.
Instead, I decided to focus on the skin tone.
On that basis alone I would say my thighs are smoother and the cellulite has reduced.
Yet, had I lavished cheaper and more loving care with skin brushing, exfoiliating and moisturising I daresay I would have had the same effect.
So in effect I would say think carefully before you part with the best part of £50.
However, there has been one big plus - before the experiment I didn't think I could wear leggings.
Over the past few weeks I haven't exactly fallen in love with them but they have allowed me to wear some of my shorter clothes and in the future they will be an occasional addition to my casual wardrobe.

Spots And Bows

I picked up this dress from a little shop near the university where I studies.
Obviously it is far too short to wear without tights so these leggings gave me a summer's lease on the dress without having to wear thick tights.
Maybe I am not as bored as I thought of leggings.
Although I am getting fed up of washing them every night.

I wore:
Shoes - Clarks
Dress - Boutique
Leggings - Lytesse

Stripes And Sandals

If you can't beat 'em.....
These are my daughter's Kurt Geiger Sandals and very nice they are too.
Before YOU ask - I did ASK first!

I wore:
Dress - H & M
Shirt - Matalan
Leggings - Lytesse
Sandals - Kurt Geiger

A Boden Parcel Arrives

Wavy Stripes

This is another top I regularly find in my daughter's wardrobe although I am never sure why as it seems a bit middle-aged for her.
It was a bargain buy from Marks and Spencer's for a fiver.
The great thing about the top is that it is a wash and go one - no need to iron which is why I don't protest too much about finding it screwed up in the bottom of her wardrobe!

I wore:
Leggings - Lytesse
Top - Marks and Spencer
Shoes - Clarks

Kaftan Again

I tried the Kaftan again but this time with the leggings and I was pleasantly surprised.
I always thought my legs looked like stuffed sausages in leggings - especially when combined with flat shoes.
Either I was wrong or the leggings are really working.
Just a few more days to go to find out.

I wore:
Leggings - Lytesse
Kaftan - Jasper Conran

Bringing Out The Animal Side

Just five more days of having to wear these leggings.
I decided to try and use them with some of my shorter skirts and found this one from Zara in the back of my daughter's wardrobe.
I wondered where it had gone!

I wore:
Skirt - Zara
Leggings- Lytesse
Vest - Top Shop

Holiday Capsule - A Work In Progress

I am putting together my holiday capsule and here is the story so far.
We are going back to the same campsite we stayed at last year near Barcelona.
Our days are spent walking along the beach, lazing by the pool, long lunches, the odd sight-seeing trip and generally chilling out.
I usually start my day with a run and my running kit is carried in my hand luggage.
The evenings are spent socialising with the children and the friends we have made over the years.
This sometimes includes a beach picnic, games of table tennis and lots of card games.
I know my wardrobe is dress-heavy but separates always seem so fussy and hot.
My holiday will be 10 days as I have to fly home early to start my new job.
Any suggestions - additions or deletions would be must welcome.
If you want to get an idea of how my holidays are usually spent here are the last few - just click on the date.
2008
2009
2010
The Capsule List
Blue FCUK Dress
Red American Apparel Multiway Dress
White Joe Brown Dress
Multi New Look dress
Leopard print halter neck dress - Dorothy Perkins
Blue and white Mantaray Dress
Blue and White Striped Beach Dress - H & M
Aqua halter neck - Matalan
2 Black and White print beach dresses - Matalan
White Kaftan - H & M
Blue Kaftan - Jasper Conran
Black and white sarong - very old
Red and white Jasmine Guinness Swimsuit
Blue and white Accesorise Swim suit
Pink and Cream Swimsuit - John Lewis
Red and White striped Tankini
2 Black and White Bikinis (Matalan & Tesco)
Tan Heels
Tan Flats
Brown Flip Flops
Can't wait to hear from you.
Jane X

A Pledge

I have decided that September will herald a turning point in my wardrobe.
I pledge to edit my wardrobe leaving only clothes that make me feel and look fabulous.
I also pledge to only buy what I really need to build on my existing wardrobe.
I will change the habit of a lifetime and go for quality not quantity.
I will buy no more frivolous items because they looked OK but were cheap.
Everything must work with my wardrobe and with me.
When I return from my holiday I will cull my wardrobe and divide the spoils between charity shops and selling on eBay.
Meanwhile here is one of those OK but cheap buys that make up the mainstay of my existing wardrobe.
This £3 tunic from Primark is OK but not fantastic.
At least it works with the leggings.
Oh, and my final pledge is NEVER to wear leggings EVER, EVER again!

I wore:
Leggings - Lytesse
Tunic - Primark